In a unique initiative, border guarding force SSB has replaced its gun-toting troops with a ‘smiling’ non-combatised personnel team to interact and frisk people who cross-over to India from the international borders of Nepal and Bhutan.
The new “interactive” protocol has been put in place by the Sashastra Seema Bal keeping in mind India’s good relations with these two eastern neighbours and the fact that scores of civilians cross-over to both the sides for their regular business and visits.
“We have historic relations with both the countries and crossing over into each other territories is allowed as the borders are open. So, we decided to change the system and deploy smart non-uniformed men and women on the front and put the armed personnel at a distance for keeping an unobtrusive eye on the activities at these two international border,” SSB Director General B D Sharma said.
A total of 100 personnel, called ‘Interaction Teams’, have been initially deployed at eight locations along these two frontiers under a ‘pilot project’ and if the exercise is successful, the force will deploy these teams at all authorised border crossing points along the 1,751-km Nepal and 699-km Bhutan borders.